Defending champions India crumbled under pressure in the battle of sub-continental rivals as Pakistan won the match in a thrilling rain-hit Super League quarter-final of the ICC Under-19 World Cup on Saturday.
Pakistan opted to bowl first in the match, which became a 23-overs-a-side affair due to overnight rain, and skittled out India for a paltry 114/9.
In reply, Pakistan reached the target in 22.3 overs. The Pakistani top order collapsed and the team score read 16/3 in just under seven overs. However, Ahsan Ali brought them back into the match with a 45-ball 30 before being run out by Jaydev Unadkat.
Wickets tumbled at regular intervals but Pakistan kept themselves in the hunt with some brisk scoring.
Rameez Aziz (28) and Hammad Azam (21 not out) turned out to be the heroes for Pakistan as they found the boundaries and sixes when it mattered the most in a cliffhanger of a match.
Earlier, put in to bat, Indian innings was off to a disastrous start as they lost Rahul Kannaur off the very first ball of the match when Pakistan's wrecker-in-chief Fayyaz Butt castled him.
Butt returned figures of 4/27 in his four overs and his effort was well complemented by left-arm spinner Raza Hasan, who picked up three wickets, conceding 26 runs in five overs.
The match came in the backdrop of heightened political tensions between the two countries after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
The sporting ties between the two countries have also been badly hit by the recent snub to Pakistani cricketers at the third Indian Premier League auction.
Pakistan will now take on the West Indies in the first semifinal on Monday. The West Indies beat England by 18 runs in the other quarterfinal.
No comments:
Post a Comment